Welcome to Ham Radio's Daily Newsletter

EHAM QTH QRZ ARRL HRO ICOM KENWOOD YAESU 6PM 145.130 NET

THURSDAY EDITION: Nothing to do with ham radio but do you remember Hulk Hogan's daughter, Brook? ...Connecticut Governor Ned Lamont has released an official statement, designating April 16 – 22, 2023, as Amateur Radio Recognition Week. The proclamation coincides with World Amateur Radio Day (WARD), which is held annually on April 18. (cost of a cup of coffee still the same at Dunkin Donuts)....Reconnecting with my Straight Key!.....American IQ's Are Dropping. Here's Why It Might Not Be A Bad Thing

CL0C contest station will operate from a privileged location on the North coast of the Matanzas Province, CUBA (IOTA NA-015). Operators list includes CO2DSE, CO2II, CO2KL, CO2KR, CO2LKY, CO2TK, CO2QU, CO5DOR, CO5MK. (Technical Antenas Advisor, HK1A Davisd)

For second time in History, a station with the CL prefix (CL9C CQ WPX 2003), will participate in SSB CQ WPX contest 2023.

This prefix (CL) is ?

This time we will join as MULTI TWO LOW POWER category, using vertical antennas (20m, 15m and 10m) and dipoles for 80m and 160m bands.

Special thanks to HK1A, David for his advice on the assembly and adjustment of our antennas. https://www.qrz.com/db/HK1A

Amateur Radio Included in FEMA Guide for National Emergency Preparedness

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has released a final version (March 2023) of the National Incident Management System (NIMS) Information and Communications Technology (ICT) Functional Guidance. The guidance, which provides a framework for communications resources within incident management, officially includes support from amateur radio operators. The expanded Communications Unit (COMU) structure now includes the Auxiliary Communicator (AUXC) role, which covers personnel from services that provide communications support to emergency management, public safety, and other government agencies. This includes amateur radio.

NIMS guides government, non-governmental organizations, and the private sector to work together to prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters and other emergencies. “This is a major step in the recognition of the need and usefulness of amateur radio and other communications services in our national preparedness,” said Josh Johnston, KE5MHV, Director of Emergency Management for ARRL The National Association for Amateur Radio®. “It also gives official guidance to pave the way for future training and education of volunteers in ARRL’s Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES®),” Johnston added.

The NIMS ICT guide (PDF) is available at https://www.fema.gov/sites/default/files/documents/fema_ict-functional-guidance.pdf.

WEDNESDAY EDITION: Why are we allowing so much shit to be launched in space just because they can?....If I had a dime for every goof who asked how my audio is, I would be a rich man. Especially annoying when someone buysa $300 mike for his 2 meter fm radio thinking it will help...Dodge certainly did not disappoint with the announcement of the 7th and final "Last Call" muscle car at Las Vegas Speedway: The 2023 Challenger SRT Demon 170. 0-60 in 1.77 seconds and only $100k.....

Satellite built with $20 CPU and 48 AA batteries tests method to reduce costs and space junk

Satellite should fall out of orbit much more quickly than most

In context: When most people think about space satellites, they probably imagine large assemblies costing millions. An experiment from Brown University seeks to upend traditional assumptions about satellites by finding ways to build them cheaply and without leaving behind space junk.

New data from a satellite built by college students shows encouraging signs that could lead to cheaper satellites and less space junk. One 3D-printed component, in particular, could contribute significantly to the fight to keep the space orbiting Earth clean.

Students and faculty from Brown University started the project in collaboration with the Institute on Atmospheric Pollution of the National Research Council. Italian aerospace company D-Orbit, AMSAT-Italy, La Sapienza-University of Rome, and the NASA Rhode Island Space Grant also lent support. Its name, SBUDNIC, is a play on the Russian Sputnik 1 satellite and an acronym of the participants' names.

The craft is a 3U CubeSat (about 10x10x34.05cm) that delivers low-resolution images from orbit with a total budget of around $10,000. Almost all its components are available from either Amazon or ordinary hardware stores.

The processor controlling the satellite is a $20 Arduino Nano BLE. The entire control system, including the CPU, motherboard, and other parts, costs just $175. A ham radio-based add-on handles communication, 48 AA batteries provide power, and the students 3D printed a drag sail that acts as an altitude control mechanism.

The students designed the sail to dramatically decrease the satellite's maximum lifespan, which could become a method to ensure space junk falls out of orbit more quickly. Space debris, comprised of either out-of-service satellites or jettisoned spaceship parts, has become a growing threat to anything we launch into orbit.

One project engineer estimates that most satellites stay in orbit for decades, even long after we no longer need them. The SBUDNIC craft should fall out of orbit within five years. The satellite launched on the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket last May, deploying the sail at an elevation of 520 kilometers.

Public Air Force Space Command tracking data shows that the Brown University satellite is accelerating from its companions and approaching reentry. So far, SBUDNIC's orbit has decayed to 470km. In comparison, other small devices launched on the same rocket still orbit above 500km.

TUESDAY EDITION: A beautful day on the island, picked some fresh scallops up off my friends dragger last night, doesn't get any fresher than that.... DUBAI, United Arab Emirates: Over 1,000 wide-eyed students at GEMS Jumeirah College in Dubai were treated to the ultimate space lesson on 7 March when Emirati astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi connected with the school via live radio transmission from the International Space Station orbiting Earth. Al Neyadi took the time to answer students’ questions, speaking on a variety of topics, ranging from what inspired him to pursue a career as an astronaut and how he prepared for his current mission, to what it felt like to enter space and what work he will be carrying out during his time on the Space Station. The incredible opportunity to speak and interact with the UAE space hero came about when Christopher Greenfield, a science teacher at Jumeriah College, contacted Amateur Radio on the International Space Station (ARISS), an organisation that specialises in connecting school students with astronauts on board the Space Station.

MONDAY EDITION: George takes to the swamp for a 50 Kilowatt 'Tales From The Transmitter Site'. Tommy explores BlueDV OTG. Mike builds a dual band Yagi for working the satellites....

hmmmm...

Amber Silver Alert Net Program© (ASAP)

Your phone "goes off" at 0200 hours, rudely awakening you just in time to cut short a dream about a day on the lake with some old friends. You gaze blearily at the screen in your fogging headed effort to decide who or what should be cursed to blazes. "Oh, another Amber Alert!", you think. Then, "Like at 0200, who is going to start driving the streets looking for the missing kid of the week." Then again, maybe you!?!

In Texas, 2022, there were 262 "missing people alerts". Most states have at the least an AMBER alert program; Texas, not to be outdone by anyone, has six categories which cover missing kids, seniors, military, the generally endangered and those who threaten Law Enforcement Officers (LEO). Not quite 1 per day but about 5 a week. Luckily your phone doesn’t blow up for every alert. You sigh and yawn. You think, “Shouldn’t someone do something about this?”

Yes, Amateur Radio Operators should.

It is clear that the need is real and that it is constant. How could we conceivably make any difference? Would that even be possible?

We have the numbers. Texas has about 54,000 hams. If 10% participated in just one-of-each of these cases then we’d add about twenty pairs of eyes, radios and a significant amount of attention to each search event. (Think what it would mean to a family just to know that ham radio operators were actively conducting a "search net"; out looking for their child. Would this make the news? You bet it would.) The same is true for you, your group and your State!

We have the time. Listen in on your local nets and repeaters; most hams just talk about the weather (though some go out and spot it), their declining health and numbers and some gripe about politics. Am I right? Of course, I’m right!

Do you and your club want to give back to the community in a significant way? Is preparing for a calamity just a bit to abstract or ‘in the future” to keep your interest. Is passing traffic that doesn’t really have any real sense of urgency or purpose, getting somewhat tedious? Then I ask, what could be more significant than someone’s missing child, or their grand parent who’s wandered (this is the term, 'wandering') off from the nursing home? How about passing traffic from field deployed amateur operators to local law enforcement about the status and progress of an AMBER alert search team? Do you want "Real" ? For a family, searching for their lost grandparent or child, this is the very definition of Real; the need is almost every day.

Here in NTX, we’ve kicked off the ASAP. You don’t have to be from Texas (but it helps). It is just as relevant a subject/need in your state. Stop by our various pages. We’re posting net procedure, template logs, guidance, instructions and doctrine online. https://mewe.com/join/ambersilveralertnetprogramasap

Lastly. Do you want to know the answer to how you get "young people" involved in ham radio; the answer is be relevant. Relevant means to "have a significant and demonstrable bearing on the matter at hand." That is to say, we need to influence, effect change, improve, and better the world around us. If not this, then find some other way to make a meaningful, positive difference.

If you buy an amplifier, think twice before tuning it up wrong....

WEEKEND EDITION: Cold and dreary day here, good for 10-15 meter ssb fun.....

An Eruption on The The Far Side of The Sun Was So Powerful Its Shockwave Hit Earth

The Sun has been spitting out some pretty powerful eruptions in the last few weeks, but one that took place a few days ago is a real doozy.

On March 12, Sun-monitoring spacecraft recorded a huge amount of material blasting away from the far side of the Sun from a coronal mass ejection. Detected as an expanding cloud, or halo, of solar debris, it raced away from the Sun at exceptionally high speeds of 2,127 kilometers (1,321 miles) per second.

The Sun spitting out flares and coronal mass ejections is nothing new, but this one was something special.

Usually, eruptions on the far side don't tend to hit Earth, since they're facing the opposite direction; but this one was so intense that satellites orbiting our planet picked up the signal of particles from the eruption accelerated by the eruption's shockwave right into our corner of space.

It might seem like the Sun has been getting up to some shenanigans recently, and, well, it has. It's heading into the peak of its cycle – a roughly 11-year loop in which the Sun's activity peaks and declines. We're heading for solar maximum, likely in the next year or two, when the Sun is most active, crawling with sunspots and erupting with powerful flares.

These cycles are linked to the Sun's magnetic field, which reverses polarity every 11 years, although why it does so is something scientists are still trying to figure out. This polar flip takes place at solar maximum; the magnetic field at the poles weakens to zero, then re-emerges with the opposite polarity. North becomes south, south becomes north.

During this time, sunspots appear in large numbers. These are temporary patches on the Sun with stronger magnetic fields, the lines of which often tangle, snap, and reconnect. When this occurs, a tremendous amount of energy is unleashed in the form of a solar flare. These can sometimes produce coronal mass ejections, in which tons of material and magnetic fields are ejected from the Sun out into space.

At time of writing, there are around 100 sunspots currently on the Sun, some of which are clustered into sunspot regions. Some sunspot regions can last a long time, repeatedly flaring, before disappearing from view as the Sun rotates.

A few days prior to the recent CME – given the unusual designation of R-type, for rare – a particularly active sunspot region rotated around to the far side of the Sun. Before it disappeared on 4 March, the region named AR3234 emitted (in ascending order of power) 49 C-class flares, 12 M-class flares, and 1 X-class flare – the most powerful kind of eruption of which our Sun is capable.

Whether AR3234 was responsible for the R-type flare is not known; it's certainly plausible. But solar scientists are definitely keen to know more about it.

Luckily, the Parker Solar Probe was right in the line of fire for the CME. It sent back signals to Earth telling Parker engineers that its systems are nominal; now we just have to wait for the next download of Parker's data to read measurements of the flare. That will take place after 17 March, when the probe is due for a close solar flyby.

In the meantime, we can only hope other solar observatories, such as NASA's Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO) and Solar Dynamics Observatory (SDO), and the European Southern Observatory's Solar Orbiter (which recorded a powerful far-side coronal mass ejection last year), also collected a significant amount of data on the event.

It will be nice to learn more about what our Sun gets up to when it thinks we can't see it.

Tornado Season and Amateur Radio

Tornado season is fast approaching, and amateur radio operators will again play a key role in helping the National Weather Service (NWS) issue accurate and timely warnings. In fact, March through May is considered the most active period for tornadoes to develop.

The NWS reports there have already been 255 preliminary filtered reported tornadoes and 213 confirmed tornadoes in the United States in 2023. Worldwide, nine tornado-related deaths have been confirmed, all of them in the United States.

January saw the third-highest number of tornado watches and confirmed tornadoes of any January on record in the United States. Additionally, the first two months of the year saw the fourth-highest number of confirmed tornadoes for the first 59 days of any year on record.

The SKYWARN® (weather.gov) Storm Spotter Program is available to anyone interested in helping the NWS track and report potentially dangerous weather. Anyone can become a SKYWARN weather spotter, and the information is available at the SKYWARN website. Most states have amateur radio networks that are activated during severe weather. Trained volunteers use their radios to report rapidly changing activity and share the information with local weather offices. A list of the states that have scheduled special weather awareness activities can be found at the NWS Awareness and Preparedness Calendar (weather.gov).

The NWS Forecast office in Norman, Oklahoma, uses amateur radio as one method of communicating with spotter groups and emergency management organizations. For decades, amateur radio operators have provided invaluable service in support of the SKYWARN storm spotter program by using their unique communications capabilities to share critical information between the NWS, the local emergency management officials, and storm spotter networks.

In 1999, the NWS, along with ARRL, founded SKYWARN Recognition Day to honor the voluntary contributions of thousands of amateur radio operators who play a critical role in keeping the public safe and informed about severe weather conditions. The day is celebrated on the first Saturday in December, and amateur radio spotters can earn awards for participating.

The 2022 NWS Spotter of the Year Award was given to Bryan Loper, WX5CSS, of Atlanta, Texas. The award noted that Loper is very active with the amateur radio network and weather community within the Arkansas/Louisiana/Texas region, and is always reliably providing weather reports. Loper is an ARRL member.

To learn more about amateur radio licensing and SKYWARN visit ARRL.org.

Amateur Radio Newsline Report

SEVERE WEATHER UNDERSCORES HAMS' OF VITAL ROLES

PAUL/ANCHOR: Our top story brings us tales of extreme weather on both coasts of the United States. These severe conditions have served as a reminder of hams' vital roles during these challenging times. Randy Sly W4XJ brings us up to date.

RANDY: With life-threatening floods, heavy rain and snow in California and severe winter storms barreling through the Northeast, amateurs involved in emergency communications in the United States were hard at work recently providing support to emergency management officials and other organizations such as the Red Cross.

While offering assistance to served agencies, these hams were also bringing about an additional benefit: increasing confidence in the amateur radio service. For example, in the San Joaquin Valley area of California, the Tuolumne County Amateur Radio Emergency Services was asked to assist in passing traffic via ham radio in the Emergency Operations Center. Daniel Sohn, WL7COO, San Joaquin Valley Section Emergency Coordinator, told AR Newsline that the group was invited to assist as a “work in progress” training exercise to distribute announcements on the air and solicit Situational Awareness as eyes and ears of the EOC. He also reported that Amateur Radio Service volunteers have been alerted for potential deployment by either the Sheriff’s Office or County OES Officers in other counties as well.

In addition, hams across the Northeast, if not working in SKYWARN nets, were self-activating in order to provide reports of strong winds, snow fall and damage reports to the National Weather Service.

Remembering the health and safety of “Self and Family First,” amateurs on both coasts are proving their worth now and for the future during severe weather events.

This is Randy Sly W4XJ.

(DANIEL SOHN, WL7COO, NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE)

**
2-YEAR ADVENTURE TESTS OUT 'REMOTE' DXPEDITIONING

PAUL/ANCHOR: A two-year journey is well under way for two hams from the US on board a catamaran crossing the South Pacific Ocean. They have two missions to accomplish and Kevin Trotman N5PRE tells us what they are.

KEVIN: George Wallner, AA7JV, and Michael Snow, KN4EEI, left Costa Rica in late February, setting sail and getting on the air as KH7Z/MM - the callsign for the Dateline DX Association. They are on board George's yacht, Magnet. Using their personal calls as well as the DX association call, the two are active on HF as well as 6m. They will be on the Marquesas islands through to the end of the month, then head to the Tuamotu Archipelago, IOTA number OC-066, where they hope to be on the air from late March to the 5th of April.

This is a two-year journey with two goals: The hams are activating grids on their journey in the Pacific and they are testing out the possibility of remote operations for DXpeditions. Their stops include various rare or semi-rare DXCC entities as the opportunity allows They also have three stations. Two of them are 100-watt remotely operated Radios in a Box, or RIBS, that will be operating FT8. A Radio in a Box contains a transceiver and amplifier, along with cooling and control systems, all inside a waterproof case. Using their third station, the two are operating on HF using CW and SSB.,

This is the latest remote-operation test undertaken by George and Michael on their travels. George writes on his page on QRZ: [quote] "The goal is to develop the capability for future DXpedtions to have remote operators, working from home or wherever."

This is Kevin Trotman N5PRE.

(QRZ.COM)

**
MICROWAVE ENTHUSIASTS PREPARE FOR CONFERENCE

PAUL/ANCHOR: If you're interested in exploring the microwave part of the spectrum, you're about to get your chance. Jack Parker W8ISH tells us about an international conference devoted to just that.

JACK: In less than a month, microwave enthusiasts will be getting together in Connecticut to share ideas, equipment design and operating stories at the first Microwave Update Conference to be held since the pandemic was declared in 2020. The international conference at the Hilton Garden Inn at Bradley Airport in Windsor, Connecticut will include the 46th Eastern VHF/UHF/Microwave Conference. It will be held on April 14th and 15th and will be hosted by the North East Weak Signal Group, a regional group in Massachusetts devoted to operations on 50 MHz and above.

Although speakers and activities will focus on operations on the microwave bands, discussions are not limited to that part of the radio spectrum. Talks will center on circuit design, the latest microwave devices, software-defined radios, small-dish EME and microwave propagation, among other topics.

At the Eastern VHF/UHF/Microwave Conference, speakers will discuss antennas, propagation, roving, SDRs, digital modes and activity nights. Additional activities are planned for this conference on April 13th and 16th.

For details, visit the website microwaveupdate - that's one word - dot org. (microwaveupdate.org)

This is Jack Parker W8ISH.

(MICROWAVEUPDATE.ORG)

**
CQ MAGAZINE NAMES NEW ASSOCIATE EDITOR

PAUL/ANCHOR: Congratulations to our friends at CQ magazine, where a new associate editor has been hired. Sabrina Herman, KB3UJW, has joined the staff, succeeding longtime managing editor Jason Feldman, KD2IWM. Sabrina had previously been managing editor and promotional coordinator for Hermes Press, a small publisher of books in Pennsylvania. She has been a ham for 13 years. We wish everyone at the CQ office well.

(CQ MAGAZINE)

**

SAFE SPLASHDOWN FOR FOUR ISS ASTRONAUTS

PAUL/ANCHOR: Welcome home to the four astronauts comprising Crew 5 aboard the ISS. They splashed down safely just off the coast of Florida. Andy Morrison K9AWM has that story.

ANDY: Having finished their five-month stay aboard the International Space Station, two astronauts from the US, one from Japan and a cosmonaut from the Russian Space Agency returned to Earth in the Gulf of Mexico just after 9 p.m. on Saturday, March 10th. Two of the four are amateur radio operators.

NASA astronauts Josh A. Cassada, KI5CRH, Nicole Aunapu Mann, JAXA astronaut Koichi Wakata, KC5ZTA, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Anna Kikina are now safely home following a mission that began last October when they arrived on the ISS inside a SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. The replacement team - Crew 6 - arrived on March 3rd to continue the work that includes a number of scientific experiments.

This is Andy Morrison K9AWM.

(CNN.COM)

**
SILENT KEY: QCWA OFFICER GARY J. KIMBALL, WB2SER

PAUL/ANCHOR: A leader in the Quarter Century Wireless Association has become a Silent Key. We have that story from Sel Embee KB3TZD.

SEL: Gary J. Kimball was known throughout New England and central New York for his company, National Audio, which he cofounded in 1977 with his business partner Mark Gummer N2IQ. The business provided sound and lighting systems for music events ranging from the Syracuse Jazz Fest to the New York State Fair. On the air he was known as WB2SER and locally many knew him as a mentor in the central New York ham community. He was an officer of the Quarter Century Wireless Association Chapter 29 covering the local Finger Lakes region of New York. QCWA members first received their licenses at least 25 years ago. He was a member of Radio Amateurs of Greater Syracuse and a member of the Liverpool Amateur Repeater Club. His voice was a familiar one to hams who heard his regular on-air roundups of local hamfests. At the time of his death in late February, Gary had been retired from his company for about five years, according to his online obituary.

Gary Kimball was 72.

This is Sel Embee KB3TZD.

(LEGACY.COM. RON PANETTA, WB2WGH)

**
RECORD FINES FOR STATIONS CHARGED WITH PIRACY

PAUL/ANCHOR: A New York City broadcaster charged with piracy has become the first of two stations to be targeted under a law passed three years ago enabling larger and, until now, unprecedented penalties. The FCC has proposed a record fine of more than $2.3-million against Radio Impacto 2, which the agency said was still on the air at the time the commission made its announcement on Wednesday, March 15th. According to a report in Radio World, the radio signals are being transmitted from the New York City borough of Queens. Radio Impacto's website calls it "The Official Radio of Ecuadorians in New York.” According to the Radio World report, the FCC issued a $20,000 forfeiture against the station in 2015 and a year later its broadcast equipment was seized by US Marshals.

The second station was identified in the Radio World report as "Pirate Radio Eastern Oregon," and its operator faces an $80,000 forfeiture.

The FCC is awaiting response from both stations.

**
UK NATIONAL HAMFEST CANCELLED FOR 2023

PAUL/ANCHOR: The UK National Hamfest, the well-known rally previously held annually at the Newark Showground in the UK, has been cancelled. Jeremy Boot G4NJH has the details.

JEREMY: Organisers of the 2023 UK National Hamfest have announced that the rally, which was to have taken place in October in Peterborough, has been called off by the venue. A statement on the hamfest website said that at such short notice, organisers cannot find a replacement venue or a new date. Directors considered a July event back at the Newark venue but ultimately it was decided that there were too many obstacles for the attendees, traders and to financial benefits.

The directors wrote: [quote] "We can assure you, we haven't made this decision lightly." [endquote] They committed to what they called "a bigger and better event" in September 2024 at the Newark Showground.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(UK NATIONAL HAMFEST)

**
PROMINENT AMATEUR'S BOOK EXPLORES RADIO'S POTENTIAL

PAUL/ANCHOR: A longtime leader in amateur radio in India has just completed a book that examines the untapped promises that ham radio holds for the future. We hear more about him and his book from Graham Kemp VK4BB.

GRAHAM: World Science Day was also book launch day for S. Suri, VU2MY, the founder of the National Institute of Amateur Radio in Hyderabad, India.

Ham enthusiasts, engineers and Indian communications officials arrived at the NIAR campus for the author's introduction of his book, "The Untapped Potential of Amateur Radio."

Suri told those in attendance that his book underscores the vital role amateur radio plays in disaster response. He said he hoped that by writing the book he was also making it clear that ham radio is relevant in other areas of society. He said he favoured its increased inclusion as a tool by universities, law enforcement and the armed forces and he urged policymakers to rethink radio's role. According to a book blurb on amazon.in, the book also traces amateur radio's growth from an activity among experimenters to its emergence as a resource in a number of nations.

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(TELANGANA TODAY, AMAZON.IN)

**
HAMS IN AUSTRALIA PREP FOR 'ANTENNAPALOOZA'

PAUL/ANCHOR: In Victoria, Australia, the annual event known as Antennapalooza isn't just about antennas. Jason Daniels VK2LAW, explains.

JASON: Station efficiency is the theme of this year's Antennapalooza event in Victoria, Australia and the organisers are looking for presenters. The range of topics can encompass the best ways to make your antenna efficient or cover a broader subject area, such as recommended ways to set up your shack. Presentations will take place on Saturday, April 15th or Sunday, April 16th. If you have a proposal to submit, send it to Ian Jackson VK3BUF at sparky at dcsi dot net dot au. (sparky@dcsi.net.au) In keeping with the theme of the three-day camping weekend, presentations should focus more on practical application and less on theory. Talks will be held in the Pavilion at Drouin West, about 100 kilometers east of Melbourne. This free popular outdoor event, now in its eighth year, is a gathering of various area clubs to learn, socialize and get on the air and of course, try out some new antennas.

This is Jason Daniels VK2LAW.

(ANTENNAPALOOZA WEBSITE)

**
BROADCASTER SHUTS LONGWAVE RADIO TRANSMITTER IN ICELAND

PAUL/ANCHOR: A longwave radio transmitter in Iceland has been shut down and demolished, as Iceland phases out that form of broadcast. Jeremy Boot G4NJH brings us that story.

JEREMY: A team of police stood nearby to oversee safety concerns as a longwave transmitter in East Iceland was switched off and demolished.

Destruction of the mast, standing 218 metres, Iceland's third tallest structure, took place in late February, the result of a decline in the number of listeners to longwave radio broadcasts. The transmitter had been operated on 207 kHz by the Icelandic broadcaster RUV, which is now giving priority to FM. Another RUV transmitter will continue operating for a little longer in West Iceland on 189 kHz. This is Iceland's tallest structure at 412 metres. There are plans also for that transmitter to close, once FM broadcasts replace all of its functions.

The impetus for the change is being driven in part by Iceland's Civil Defence and other organisations looking to improve emergency notification capabilities. That role is going to be transferred to FM, which is slowly being upgraded throughout Iceland.

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(AMATEUR NEWS WEEKLY, RUV ICELAND)

**
WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, listen for the Russian DXpedition Team using the callsign 9X5RU in Rwanda from March 22nd to April 7th. You will hear them on 160-6m and they will also be using the QO-100 satellite. They will operate CW, SSB and FT8. QSL via Club Log's OQRS and LoTW.

Listen for the special event callsign A60AP, which is on the air until the 31st of August. The suffix stands for the Emirates "Astronaut Program," which prepares crews of UAE astronauts for missions that include the International Space Station. QSL via EA7FTR.

Be listening for CT9/DD8ZX, CT9/DF7EE and CT9/DJ9KM operating from Madeira, IOTA Number AF-014 from the 22nd to the
28th of March. Helmut, DF7EE, will also participate in the CQ WW WPX SSB Contest as CQ3W. QSL CT9/DD8ZX and CT9/DJ9KM via LoTW or the operators' home calls; QSL CQ3W and CT9/DF7EE via LoTW or Club Log's OQRS.

Miguel, EA1BP, will be active as FM/EA1BP from Martinique, IOTA Number NA-107, from the 21st to the 28th of March. He will be focusing on 17m and 12m and operating SSB. Listen for him in the CQ WW WPX SSB Contest where he will be using the callsign TO7O (TEE OH SEVEN OH). QSL via LoTW, or via home call.

(425 DX BULLETIN)

**
KICKER: WHEN "LINE OF SIGHT" SERVES AS A LIFELINE

PAUL/ANCHOR: Most of us have heard the phrase "when all else fails, ham radio." Well, our final story for this week carries an alternative thought: "when all else fails, aerial drones." Here's Ralph Squillace KK6ITB with that story.

RALPH: Deep snow in the Cascade Mountains of Oregon left two motorists trapped earlier this year in the Willamette National Forest. One of them was a woman who had become stranded in her minivan. The other was a man traveling not far from there. There was rarely any traffic or even maintenance workers on this little-traveled road but they were able to spot one another and try to find a way out of their predicament. However, the road's remote location put it out of range for cellphone service.

The snow grew higher and the temperatures dropped lower.

As the two tried to find a way to get word out that they were in danger, the man realized he might in fact have a way out for the both of them, after all. He would use line-of-sight communications, the same principle employed by ham radio operators on VHF/UHF and microwave frequencies, as well as those using satellites. He realized that if he could get his cellphone up high enough - say, several hundred feet above the thick treetops - its signal would reach a cell tower, enabling it to send a text message that could carry the details of his distress to a friend.

He had the cellphone and, as luck would have it, he happened to have an aerial drone in his car and the drone had enough power to make that successful flight.

It worked. The man's friend received the text with his location and the details of what had happened and the sheriff's search and rescue team did the rest. The two motorists - and the drone - were brought to safety.

This is Ralph Squilllace KK6ITB.

(THE DRIVE.COM, KRNV NEWS 4)
**
NOMINATE OUR NEXT 'YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR'

PAUL/ANCHOR: We remind our listeners that young hams who live in the continental United States have an opportunity to make news, if they aren't already doing so, by being a recipient of this year's Amateur Radio Newsline Bill Pasternak Memorial Young Ham of the Year Award. Consider nominating an amateur radio operator 18 years of age or younger -- someone who has talent, promise and a commitment to the spirit of ham radio. Find application forms on our website arnewsline.org under the "YHOTY" tab. Nominations are now open and close on May 31st.

St. Patrick's Day Edition: We had our boiled dinner last week and I don't drink green beer, so no celebration here. ...

Dayton Amateur Radio Leader Ron Cramer, KD8ENJ, Silent Key 03/16/2023

Ron Cramer, KD8ENJ, of Dayton, Ohio, passed away on Saturday, March 11, 2023. He was Vice President of the Dayton Amateur Radio Association (DARA) and previously served as its President. Cramer was General Chairman of Dayton Hamvention®, the world's largest annual gathering of radio amateurs, from 2017 to 2018. In 2017, he was among the Hamvention leadership and team who helped successfully relocate the event to its current venue at the Greene County Fairgrounds and Expo Center in Xenia, Ohio, after 52 years at Hara Arena. In 2019, the event would go on to host the ARRL National Convention in Xenia. "Ron was one of the most active members of DARA and Hamvention and was extremely well liked and respected," included a message from the DARA Board. "Please keep him and his family in your prayers."

Cramer is survived by his wife of 49 years, Liz (Ann Mergler). "I was the Assistant General Chair of Hamvention (Ron's assistant) the year we moved we moved it to Xenia," shared DARA President Jack Gerbs, WB8SCT. "It was a stressful time, but it was also a very exciting time [for] the team. There is no way Ron can ever be replaced. He was a hardworking, dedicated, wonderful person who had a positive impact on everyone he encountered. His only fault was, he would never say no. I am looking forward to catching up [to] Ron in that great shack in Heaven! Rest in peace, my friend!" "Ron was a good friend of ARRL, and one of the kindest and most committed member-volunteers I've known throughout my years in amateur radio," said ARRL Director of Marketing and Innovation Bob Inderbitzen, NQ1R. "Ron supported many years of ARRL's participation at Hamvention. Most recently, he coordinated Hamvention's interest in hosting the 2024 ARRL National Convention. He'll be close in the hearts and minds of many of us as the convention is planned. I'll miss him dearly."

Out of this world! Lanai kids get picked for live Q&A with ISS astronauts

HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Every year, a handful of U.S. schools are chosen from among many that apply to interview astronauts aboard the International Space Station. The program called ARISS is a joint venture between NASA and amateur radio. This year, Lanai Elementary School got one of the golden tickets. “Little Lanai, how did we get chosen? We were one school out of nine in the entire country to be chosen for this opportunity. So it’s been really exciting!” said fifth-grade teacher Danyel Erickson. She’s the person who’s responsible for the school’s involvement with ARISS. She found out about it through a friend who is an astronomer. “I only had a few weeks to fill out the proposal last March. I said, ‘You know what? This sounds exciting. Let’s give it a shot,’” she said. That shot in the dark hit the bullseye. On a day later this month, with the help of a Ham radio operator, the school will hook up with the Space Station for a live question-and-answer session with one of its astronauts.

Students will have a 12-minute window to squeeze in their questions, and hear the astronaut’s answers. “I would like to know how they celebrate their birthdays in space,” said eight-year-old Esther Shuster. Fifth-grader Rainy Sison plans to ask about the Space Station’s mission. “What was one of their most exciting discoveries that they have made?” he said. Even Erickson has pondered what she would ask if she gets the chance. “My question for the astronaut would be, ‘Is there a teacher that inspired you in your journey to become an astronaut?’” she said.

To get ready for the space talk, the kids have watched videos about the Space Station, and they have learned about how amateur radio operators step in when emergencies cut off other lines of communication. “This is our way to communicate in events of emergency,” Erickson said. “This is our lifeline for getting ahold of emergency services and making sure that people are safe.”

DX news

This week's bulletin was made possible with information provided by AA3B, KK9A, The Daily DX, 425 DX News, DXNL, Contest Corral from QST and the ARRL Contest Calendar and WA7BNM web sites. Thanks to all.

GEORGIA, 4L. Rene, DL2JRM is QRV as 4L/DL2JRM until March 20. Activity is on 40 to 10 meters using CW. QSL to home call.

RWANDA, 9X. A large group of operators will be QRV as 9X5RU near Kigali from March 22 to April 7. Activity will be on 160 to 6 meters using CW, SSB, and FT8 with several stations. This includes being active in Satellite QO-100. QSL via LoTW.

SABLE ISLAND, CY0. A group of operators will be QRV as CY0S from March 20 to 30. Activity will be on 160 to 6 meters, including 60 meters and 2 meter EME, using CW, SSB, RTTY, and FT8 with three stations active. QSL via WA4DAN.

CAPE VERDE, D4. Luca, HB9OBD is QRV as D44KIT from Sal Island, IOTA AF-086, u

ntil April 5. Activity is holiday style on 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters using SSB and FT8. QSL via EB7DX.

COMOROS, D6. Hiro, JF1OCQ is QRV as D67AA until March 22. Activity is on 160 to 10 meters using CW, FT8, and FT4. QSL direct to home call.

PHILIPPINES, DU. Jacek, SP5APW will be QRV as DU1/SP5APW from the Babuyan Islands, IOTA OC-092, from March 18 to 26. Activity will be on 40 to 10 meters using SSB and FT8. QSL to home call.

SAN ANDRES AND PROVIDENCIA, HK0. Alex, DK8FD will be QRV as HK0/DK8FD from Providencia, IOTA NA-033, from March 20 to 25. QSL to home call.

OGASAWARA, JD1. Stations JD1BOI and JD1BON are QRV from Chichijima, IOTA AS-031, until March 24. Activity is on 160 to 6 meters using RTTY, FT8, and FT4. QSL via LoTW.

BONAIRE, PJ4. John, KK9A will be QRV as PJ4/KK9A from March 21 to 27. Activity will be on 80 to 10 meters using CW and SSB. This includes being active as PJ4R in the upcoming CQ World Wide WPX SSB contest. QSL via WD9DZV.

SURINAME, PZ. Harrie, PA3EHS is QRV as PZ5HS from Para until March 25. Activity is on the HF bands using SSB, JT6, and FT8. QSL via PA3EHS.

SEYCHELLES, S7. Dieter, AE0BF is QRV as S79/AE0BF until March 19. Activity is on 40 to 10 meters. He has currently been active on 12 and 10 meters. QSL via DJ2EH.

EGYPT, SU. Ahmed, 9K2QA is QRV as SU9GA from Cairo. He is active on 80 to 10 meters. QSL via 9K2QA.

ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA, V2. Bud, AA3K will be QRV as V26K from Antigua from March 21 to 27. Activity will be on the HF bands using mostly CW. He will be a Single Op/All Band/High Power entry in the upcoming CQ World Wide WPX SSB contest. QSL to home call.

CANADA, VE. Pierre, VE3KTB is QRV as VY0ERC from Eureka station on Ellesmere Island, IOTA NA-008, until April 13. Activity is in his spare time on 20 to 12 meters using CW, SSB, and FT8, and possibly on some of the FM Satellites. QSL via M0OXO.

TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS, VP5. John AF3K, Ross, W2TT and Diane, KA3FCE will be QRV as VP5/AF3K, VP5/W2TT, and VP5/KA3FCE, respectively, from Providenciales, IOTA NA-002, from March 22 to 29. Activity will be on the HF bands using CW, SSB, and various digital modes. They will be active as VP5P in the upcoming CQ World Wide WPX SSB contest. QSL VP5/AF3K, VP5/W2TT, and VP5P via N2OO,and VP5/KA3FCE direct via W2TT.

VANUATU, YJ. Chris, VK2YUS should be back on Efate Island, IOTA OC-035, and plans to be active as YJ0CA from March 18 to 28. Activity will be on 40 to 10 meters using SSB. QSL direct to home call.

THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO. All Africa International DX Contest, BARTG HF RTTY Contest, QRP 80-Meter CW Fox Hunt, NCCC RTTY Sprint, NCCC CW Sprint, K1USN Slow Speed CW Test, Maidenhead Mayhem Sprint, SARL VHF/UHF Analogue Contest, Russian DX Contest, F9AA SSB Cup, AGCW VHF/UHF Contest, Virginia QSO Party, Feld Hell Sprint, UBA Spring SSB Contest, Classic Phone Exchange and the Run for the Bacon QRP CW Contest are all on tap for this upcoming weekend.

The K1USN Slow Speed CW Test, ICWC Medium Speed CW Test, OK1WC Memorial, Bucharest Digital Contest, Worldwide Sideband Activity Contest, SKCC CW Sprint, QRP 40-Meter CW Fox Hunt, Phone Weekly Test, A1Club CW AWT, CWops Test, Mini-Test 40 and the Mini-Test 80 are scheduled for March 20 to 22.

THURSDAY EDITION: St. Patrick's Day tomorrow. I imagine my cousins in Southie are hammered by now....The annual Saint Patrick’s Day Award event takes place over a 48 hour period from 1200UTC on 16 March 2023 to 1200UTC on 18 March 2023 to allow worldwide participation in all time zones. The Saint Patrick’s Day Award is 48 hours of non-competitive fun. Everyone can participate in the event, whether they are licensed or not. You can register to be a participating station by completing a short registration form on the St Patrick’s Day Award website.

Than,s to Jim O'Brien, a little Irish music:

Luke Kelly - The Foggy Dew 1966 (50 years after the Easter rising.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b605qq7xBzM
Gary Moore & Phil Lynott- Out in the Fields (Thin Lizzy) 1985 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xsKpazeA5L8
Sinead O'Connor - This is a Rebel Song 1997 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wbre5Fs9m8I
Wisconsin's "Jump Around" 2021 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoXHXLYTAgs
Braveheart ~Battle of Falkirk 1298 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4SGNeJigllY
Judith Durham Danny Boy (With introduction To Song) 1968 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnLnwWjrIyk
Thin Lizzy - Whiskey In The Jar 1973 Video Sound HQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WDSY8Kaf6o

Caravelle Radio Transmitter and Receiver from Remco (1962)

I’ve always been a huge fan of WKRP in Cincinnati, the classic T.V. sitcom from the late 1970s that focused on the hijinks of the employees of a fictional radio station in Ohio. Part of the show’s appeal can be attributed to its many on-air disk jockeys – be it the irreverent rock and roll riffs of Dr. Johnny Fever or the silky-smooth stylings of Venus Flytrap. No wonder I was immediately drawn to the Caravelle, a transistorized AM radio receiver and transmitter from Remco. Released in 1962, the toy radio is easy to assemble and includes a microphone and a Morse code oscillator key that both plug into the base unit. A single 9-volt battery powers the toy, giving it a “without wires” capability that Remco often highlighted in its advertising. When powered on, the Caravelle’s integrated 3.5-foot antenna receives local AM radio broadcasts and can transmit on AM frequencies in a 500-foot radius. While this distance wasn’t enough to enable kids to launch a full-blown pirate radio station, it was most certainly enough to dazzle one’s family with one’s DJ skills and gift for the gab. And fear not, the Caravelle was designed (at the time) to Federal Communications Commission requirements, meaning that it could be operated without a license!

WEDNESDAY EDITION: NO SNOW, we got 50+ mph winds and 5 inches of rain, whew!....Yet another miracle antenna for 10-40 meters when a bit of wire would be better performing and cheaper.....What to know about the MQ-9 Reaper, the drone the US just lost over the Black Sea It was "intercepted and hit by a Russian aircraft," according to an Air Force general. These are the basics of the incident—and the Reaper.

W1AW CODE PRACTICE

Code practice texts are from QST, and the source of each practice is given at the beginning of each practice and at the beginning of alternate speeds. On Tuesdays and Fridays at 2230 UTC (6:30 PM EDT), Keplerian Elements for active amateur satellites are sent on the regular digital frequencies. A DX bulletin replaces or is added to the regular bulletins between 0000 UTC (8 PM EDT) Thursdays and 0000 UTC (8 PM EDT) Fridays. Audio from W1AW's CW code practices, and CW/digital/phone bulletins is available using EchoLink via the W1AW Conference Server named "W1AWBDCT." The monthly W1AW Qualifying Runs are presented here as well. The CW/digital/phone audio is sent in real-time and runs concurrently with W1AW's regular transmission schedule. All users who connect to the conference server are muted. Please note that any questions or comments about this server should not be sent via the "Text" window in EchoLink. Please direct any questions or comments to w1aw@arrl.org . In a communications emergency, monitor W1AW for special bulletins as follows: Voice on the hour, Digital at 15 minutes past the hour, and CW on the half hour. FCC licensed amateurs may operate the station from 1400 UTC to 1945 UTC (10 AM to 3:45 PM EDT) Monday through Friday. Be sure to bring a reference copy of your current FCC amateur radio license. The weekly W1AW and monthly West Coast Qualifying Runs are sent on the normal CW frequencies used for both code practice and bulletin transmissions. West Coast Qualifying Run stations may also use 3590 kHz. The complete W1AW Operating Schedule may be found on page 28 in the March 2023 issue of QST or on the web at, http://www.arrl.org/w1aw-operating-schedule .

TUESDAY EDITION: Whew, just back from the skin surgeon for another 'procedure". My face is going to look like a catcher's mitt at this rate....10:30 and no snow yet, just rain and howling wind...Meet the brave explorer who takes close-up photographs of anacondas lurking underwater in South America ...This Breakthrough Could Make Longer-Lasting Batteries and Better Power Grids—if It Works ....How growing antlers on mice could lead to new treatments for humans

EMAIL: Jon... I'm thinking that big "antenna" thing on the police car might be a bridge twanger. I've see a few of thos in eastern Europe leading convoys with either large military stuff or big commercial trucks. I looked closely at the picture on your site and I don't see anything that looks like it might be a feedpoint, but hard to tell... 7 de Norm W1ITT

MONDAY EDITION: I was walking the hound yesterday planning what I was going to do around the yard, raking, top soil, planting grass, until I looked at the forecast. Tonight thru Wednesday we have snow and high winds, only in New England....You have to hand it to AM radio—it has outlasted the 8-track, the cassette, and the compact disc as a way to deliver audio content to a car. This first-generation radio broadcast technology dates back to the dawn of the last century before it was superseded by FM, which has better sound fidelity and is less likely to suffer from interference. But good old amplitude modulation joins those shiny CDs and twisted tapes on the scrapheap of history, at least as far as the next Ford Mustang is concerned. When the 2024 Mustang goes on sale this summer, it will do so without an AM radio function, according to Ford Authority.

What kind of antenna is this on a patrol car?

THE RADIO WAR ON THE 38TH PARALLEL. ECHO OF HOPE AND JAMMING ON 6250 KHz

Come to think of it, the Korean War (1950-53) was never officially closed. For 70 years, the two states of the Korean peninsula have been experiencing a long truce during which there have been moments of great tension and incidents on the 38th parallel line that have raised fears of a resumption of hostilities in the region. Two governments and two political systems at the antipodes observe each other in disgust and challenge each other by loud voice at various levels, at least until now. A local Cold War that continues with no holds barred and with all means available, including radio propaganda. From the north and from the south, the transmissions of the two states cross seamlessly, and of course the jamming we were used to in the days of the opposition of the blocs is also part of this battle of ideas. South Korea broadcasts, or at least tries, to the north through a series of broadcasters including one activated by the intelligence services called Echo of Hope. The North's response is classic Sino-Soviet-style jamming aimed at avoiding listening.

Thanks to the propagation on short waves, the echoes of this battle of the ether also reach here in Europe where both southern and northern jamming can be heard. One of these frequencies is that of 6250 KHz that we monitored tonight around 19.00 UTC. As you can hear from the video we made, on the nominal frequency you only hear jamming and the transmission is very difficult to listen in USB mode, while moving up 4-5 KHz a weak signal can also be heard in AM. Echo of Hope also features several other frequencies that are also systematically jammed. Sometimes, at least here in Europe you can hear a good signal on 4885 KHz. We do not know how many in North Korea are able or have the courage to listen to these broadcasts but from the south they do not give up, this and other broadcasters broadcast continuously to the north with the hope that something of their message arrives at its destination. ARTICLE

WEEKEND EDITION: Looks like a gnarly weather pattern here on the island with winds and sleet predicted....I have not worked anyone using the new Yaesu FT710 yet, looks like a nice "little" radio aimed at the Icom 7300....Okay, my favorite holiday is fast approaching. Here is a lesson for all. Padraig is the Irish word for Patrick (American version). Shortened , Padraig becomes Paddy. Patty is short for Patricia. We hope all enjoy a Happy St PADDYS day!

September 13, 1950. "Pendulum pounding into a plastic helmet worn for testing by Dr. Charles F. Lombard, director of the University of Southern California Department of Aviation Physiology. Testing is part of a program being worked out to improve equipment, especially headgear for football players, to cut down fatalities and injuries among gridders."

ARRL International DX Contest a Success

Last weekend (March 4 - 5, 2023) was the phone segment of the ARRL International DX Contest. Although the deadline to submit logs is 2359Z on March 12, preliminary numbers already show an increase in submissions compared to the same period last year. Conditions were favorable for much of the world, and many operators took to social media to talk about their wins. Italian ham Chris Diemoz, IX1CKN, wrote in to express his gratitude for the contest, saying, "I haven't come back to the US since 2001, but... I [count last] Sunday afternoon [as] a true trip to the States, from east to west." Diemoz made 80 contacts in the US. From his parked car in Ozein, Itally, Diemoz operated during the contest using QRP power from a Xiegu G90 transceiver and an Outback-1899 HF antenna. He enjoyed making a lot of contacts on 10 and 15 meters, which are opening due to Solar Cycle 25. He made a video with some of his QSOs and posted it to YouTube. Click on the screenshot above or click here to view the YouTube video.

FreeDV Aims to Bring Open-Source HF Digital Voice Into the Mainstream

San Diego, CA, March 09, 2023 --(PR.com)-- To advance the state of the art in HF digital voice and to promote its use, Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) has awarded $420,000 to the FreeDV Project. With this grant, the FreeDV Project team will:

- Hire experienced digital signal processing developers to work with the volunteer staff to improve speech quality and improve low signal-to-noise ratio operation, making FreeDV performance superior to single-sideband (SSB) over poor high-frequency (HF) channels.
- Work with commercial HF radio companies to embed FreeDV into at least two commercial radios, greatly reducing set up effort and reducing latency.
- Continue development of a suite of advanced, open-source HF modems, with the goal of making FreeDV’s digital performance comparable to VARA at both low and high signal-noise ratios.
- Continue support of the existing software library (libcodec2) and application software (freedv-gui), and embedded FreeDV adaptors (SM1000 and ezDV).
- Better promote FreeDV online and in person at amateur radio clubs and conventions.

The FreeDV Project team believes that the work funded by this grant will:

- Open the path to widespread adoption of a truly open-source, next-generation digital voice system for HF radio.
- Provide a mature, open-source low-bit-rate codec useful for a variety of amateur radio and commercial applications.
- Provide a suite of high performance, HF data modems for open-source data applications usable by any radio amateur.

About FreeDV
FreeDV is a low-bit-rate digital voice mode for HF radio. Initially developed by David Rowe, VK5DGR, an international team of radio amateurs are now working together on the project. FreeDV is open-source software, released under the GNU Lesser Public License (LPGL) version 2.1. The modems and Codec 2 speech codec used in FreeDV are also open source. Hardware and software developers can integrate FreeDV into their projects using the FreeDV API. To operate FreeDV, radio amateurs either run the FreeDV GUI application on Windows, Linux and OSX machines or use the SM1000 FreeDV adaptor. Either method allows hams to use a single-sideband HF radio to send and receive FreeDV signals. To learn more about FreeDV, go to https://www.freedv.org.

About ARDC
Amateur Radio Digital Communications (ARDC) is a California-based foundation with roots in amateur radio and the technology of internet communication. The organization got its start by managing the AMPRNet address space, which is reserved for licensed amateur radio operators worldwide. Additionally, ARDC makes grants to projects and organizations that follow amateur radio’s practice and tradition of technical experimentation in both amateur radio and digital communication science. Such experimentation has led to advances that benefit the general public, including the mobile phone and wireless internet technology. ARDC envisions a world where all such technology is available through open source hardware and software, and where anyone has the ability to innovate upon it. To learn more about ARDC, go to https://www.ardc.net.

Amateur Radio Newsline Report

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GRANT WILL ADVANCE FREEDV HF TECHNOLOGY

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Our top story this week is about a boost for cutting-edge amateur radio. A major open-source ham radio technology for HF digital voice has received a major grant to advance its development. Kevin Trotman N5PRE has that report.

KEVIN: The FreeDV Project, an open-source software initiative created by an international team of hams, has received $420,000 from Amateur Radio Digital Communications. The team plans to use that money to help bring FreeDV into the mainstream.

According to an ARDC press release, the goal is to [quote] "open the path to widespread adoption of a truly open-source, next-generation digital voice system for HF radio." [endquote]

Some of the funds will go towards the hiring of digital signal processing developers to work alongside FreeDV volunteers to improve the readability of digital voice carried over SSB under poor HF conditions. The plan is to improve low signal-to-noise ratio operation and improve speech quality. The team also hopes FreeDV can also be embedded in some more commercial radios. Towards that end, specialists will work alongside some commercial HF radio engineers.

The FreeDV website mentions some versions of the technology that are already in use, including the special version in use over the QO-100 geostationary satellite. FreeDV is also being employed to overcome poor propagation through experimental combinations of internet and HF radio. FreeDV encompasses the Codec 2 speech codec/modem and all are open source.

This is Kevin Trotman N5PRE.

(ARDC, Dan Romanchik, KB6NU)

**
COMPETITION FOCUSES ON VISION FOR HAM RADIO'S FUTURE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Hams in Region 1 of the IARU are being asked to brainstorm in a competition envisioning amateur radio's future, as we hear from Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

JEREMY: Hams in Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Northern Asia are being asked to take the challenge of seeing into the future. Region 1 of the International Amateur Radio Union is inviting teams and individuals to engage in two types of brainstorming as part of the region's HamChallenge competition. Both challenges are designed to inspire projects that increase awareness of amateur radio's vitality and relevance today.

The first challenge asks hams to create projects that reach out to people who do not have a radio licence. The project could be a social media campaign, a video, a storyboard or some other creative venture that showcases the power ham radio has in building friendships and expanding scientific knowledge.

The second challenge focuses on a project that reaches out to other hams showing the way amateur radio might look in 10 years. Entries in this part of the challenge can be a technology project, an experiment or something else.

All ideas should be sent to the IARU Region 1 by July. Proposals should be sent by email to hamchallenge at iaru hyphen r1 dot org. (hamchallenge@iaru-r1.org) There are monetary prizes and a chance for the winners to carry their message to a wider audience.

I'm Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(IARU REGION 1)

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TRIO OF HAMS ARRIVE ON BOARD THE ISS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Four astronauts are now on board the International Space Station. The crew includes the first astronaut from the United Arab Emirates to fly aboard a commercial mission. He also happens to be an amateur radio operator. Paul Braun WD9GCO has that story.

PAUL: Four astronauts, three of them licensed amateur radio operators, arrived on the ISS on Friday, March 3rd, for a six-month stay in orbit. One of them, astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi, KI5VTV, is also making his first trip into space.

The Crew-6 launch took place a day earlier from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The other members of the team are mission commander Stephen Bowen, KI5BKB, pilot Warren "Woody" Hoburg, KB3HTZ, and Roscosmos cosmonaut Andrey Fedyaev, who - like Al Neyadi - is making his first space flight. The crew will conduct a variety of experiments including a study of the way certain materials burn in microgravity and an examination of microbial samples collected from outside the spacecraft.

This is NASA's sixth crew to use the commercial SpaceX transport system.

I'm Paul Braun WD9GCO.

(CNBC)

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HAMS IN DELAWARE MOBILIZE FOR SURPRISE WEATHER DRILL

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: Fast-moving amateurs in Delaware recently responded to a surprise emergency weather drill. Randy Sly W4XJ tells us what happened next.

RANDY: SKYWARN and emergency managers in Sussex County on the Delaware Peninsula, hold quarterly exercises they call “Pop Ups,” recognizing that unexpected emergencies pop up. The latest exercise, called “Pops in the Dark,” began on Saturday, March 4. It called for “all hams on deck” in Sussex and Kent Counties. Amateurs were mobilized without commercial power and throughout the activation were limited to only whatever fuel and battery capacity they had at the time.

The exercise was a severe winter storm, with reported ice accumulations and 10-12” of snow. The event had two parts. On Day 1, the Emergency Operations Center nets worked simultaneously with SKYWARN and then remained active through the remainder of the exercise. On Days 1 and 2, repeaters were reported down and only simplex frequencies were used. Barbara Dean, KC3LGE, public information officer Sussex, told AR Newsline that, in addition to coordinating various communications tasks, the nets also included suggestions on getting the most out of their available power. Pops in the Dark concluded on March 8 followed by the collection of after-action reports.

This is Randy Sly, W4XJ

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NEW CW NET IN IRELAND ATTRACTS 'NERVOUS NOVICES'

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: In Ireland, hams who love Morse Code but are nervous about getting on the air now have a welcoming on-air spot to try out their new skills. Jeremy Boot G4NJH tells us about it.

JEREMY: The newest net in Ireland is called "Nervous Novices." Organised by Eamo, EI7LC, the 80 metre net is designed to encourage CW newcomers to get on the air without feeling as if they needed to be proficient enough for a full ragchew.

Check-in begins from 20:30 local time, meeting somewhere between 3.550 and 3.555 MHz. Amateurs are encouraged to operate QRS to accommodate the slowest participants. The emphasis is on good operating practices, not speed.

Get on the air and listen for the call “CQ NNCW”

This is Jeremy Boot G4NJH.

(IRTS)

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FCC NOMINEE WON'T PURSUE CONFIRMATION

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The search is on for a new nominee to join the US Federal Communications Commission following a decision by President Joe Biden's nominee to withdraw. Gigi Sohn had been nominated for the vacant FCC seat but announced on Tuesday, March 7th, that she would not seek the appointment because of what she characterized as personal attacks.

The attorney is best known as a veteran public interest advocate. Her confirmation as commissioner would have given the Democratic Party a 3-2 majority on the FCC.

(WASHINGTON POST)

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EX-AGENCY OFFICIALS PRESS TO KEEP AM RADIO IN CARS

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The fight to keep AM radio in new electric vehicles just gained a few more prominent voices in the US, as we learn from Kent Peterson KCØDGY.

KENT: FCC Commissioner Nathan Simington, who has been an outspoken opponent of carmakers' plans to remove AM broadcast radio from electric vehicles, has been joined by seven former officials in the US emergency management agency. In a letter to US Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg the seven praised AM radio's capacity for long-distance communications, making this broadcast mode [quote] "a vital public safety system." [endquote]

Commissioner Simington spoke late last year at a convention of the National Association of Farm Broadcasters and for much the same reasons, described AM radio as "the essential spine" of the Emergency Alert System. Simington said he agreed with the letter written to the transportation secretary and called the push to keep AM radio in electric cars a matter for urgent attention.

A number of automakers have stopped including AM radios in their vehicles claiming the cars cause electromagnetic interference with AM signals. Senator Ed Markey of Massachusetts recently asked a number of carmakers, including American Honda, Jaguar, General Motors, Kia and BMW, to declare their intentions regarding AM and FM radio.

This is Kent Peterson KCØDGY.

**
DAMAGE TOPPLES VITAL NEBRASKA COMMUNICATIONS TOWER

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A communications tower serving fire and emergency services in Nebraska was found toppled and destroyed in Nebraska, the apparent result of having had one of its guy wire anchors damaged. According to a report on the website ruralradio.com, the tower suffered structural failure and toppled, causing an estimated $575,000 in damage to the tower and its equipment. The local sheriff's office, fire and EMS service, Verizon wireless and the school district were among those making use of the tower. Cellphone service was re-established on a temporary tower and the emergency service and fire channels were moved to another location. The Nebraska State Patrol's forensic evidence team is studying the evidence at its crime lab and has contacted the FBI which may pursue the case as an act of domestic terrorism.

(RURALRADIO.COM)

**

'ROVER' CATEGORY ADDED TO VIRGINIA QSO PARTY

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: A new category is being added to the Virginia QSO Party, which kicks off later this month. Sel Embee KB3T Zed Dee tells us what's behind this decision.

SEL: This year's Virginia QSO Party includes a bit of an experiment. Organizers are adding a new category - "Rover" - which raises the number of categories for non-fixed stations to three. The inclusion of the rover category, which now joins "mobile" and "expedition," is being done to accommodate hams who, for various reasons, cannot be included in the other classes of mobile operator. That may mean they make use of commercial power, retractable antenna masts or non-mobile support structures. Rover operators must still identify with their callsign followed by /M. Rovers are permitted to make contacts while moving or stationary. A non-operating driver is required for rover and mobile operators who plan to be on the air while the vehicle is in motion.

The QSO Party is being organized by the Sterling Park Amateur Radio Club and will be held on March 18th and 19th.

This is Sel Embee KB3TZD.

(QRZ.COM)

**
CB RADIO MARKET GROWS FOR FM MODE

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: The shape of CB radios is changing: An increasing number of them are now capable of FM, as we hear from Jack Parker W8ISH.

JACK: Little more than 18 months after the FCC approved the use of FM for Citizens Band on 27 MHz, manufacturers have responded to the demand for the mode. Companies now in the market include President Electronics USA, Uniden, RadioOddity, QYT and Cobra. It was Cobra's original petition that pushed the need to the forefront of the agency, with support from the other companies. When the FCC granted the request in July 2021, the move was called the biggest change for Citizens Band since the expansion of CB channels from 23 to 40 in 1977.

FM is now used on the CB radio spectrum from 26.965 MHz to 27.405 MHz, enabling a higher-quality audio for radio users who do not need the distance capabilities offered by radios with the SSB mode.

This is Jack Parker W8ISH.

(RADIO WORLD, CCJDIGITAL.COM, FCC)

**

WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, Jim WB2REM, John K4LT, and Bob KE2D are using the call sign HD8M from Santa Cruz in the Galapagos Islands, IOTA SA-004, until the 11th of March. , They are using CW, SSB and FT8 in fox-hound mode on 160-6 metres. QSL via Club Log's OQRS, or direct to WB2REM; They will upload to LoTW after six months.

From Norfolk Island, IOTA number OC-005, listen for Tom, VK3FTOM, who is joining the VK9NT team that will be on the air there from the 17th to the 31st of March. Tom will also be using his own personal callsign, VK9TOM, starting on or around the 13th of March for "some QRP operating" while on the island.

Luca, HB9OBD is active holiday style as D44KIT from Sal Island, IOTA number AF-086, Cape Verde until the 5th of April. Listen for him on SSB and FT8 on 40, 20, 15 and 10 metres. QSL via LoTW, eQSL, or via EB7DX.

Hiro, JF1OCQ, is in the Comoro Islands, IOTA number AF-007, where he is on the air as D67AA until the 22nd of March. He is using CW, SSB, and the digital modes on 160 - 10 metres. QSL via LoTW or direct to his home call. He will upload his log to Club Log and other platforms.

(DX-WORLD.NET)

**
KICKER: FINDING FAMILY, EIGHT DECADES LATER

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: We finish this week's report with one family's story. Nearly eight decades after fleeing Bangladesh during turbulent political times, a woman in northern India has reconnected with the family she left behind. It happened all because of ham radio. Graham Kemp VK4BB has that story.

GRAHAM: Nearly eight decades of silence and loss ended on Tuesday, March 7th, when 85-year-old Maya Chakraborty finally spoke with the nephew she'd been seeking for so long - the son of her deceased older sister. The call was via internet video but the human connection here was because of ham radio. She was a young girl when her family left their native village in Sylhet in Bangladesh and lost contact with her much older sister. The Times of India newspaper reported that she had lost much hope of finding the rest of her family but asked her son Suvendu to help track them down. Suvendu contacted the West Bengal Radio Club, which has expertise in reuniting missing persons. The club's secretary contacted the Amateur Radio Society of Bangladesh and the hams were able to find Ranjit Chakraborty, Maya's nephew, who is nearly 80 years old himself. His mother - Maya's sister - had long since died.

Ambarish Nag Biswas, VU2JFA, secretary of the West Bengal club, told the newspaper [quote] "It was difficult to find a person among millions." [endquote] He told Newsline that on March 7th, the aunt and her nephew were reconnected during an emotional video call. He said that both are now applying for visas to take that reunion to its logical next step.

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(TIMES OF INDIA, AMBARISH NAG BISWAS VU2JFA)

**

IN SEARCH OF 'YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR'

STEPHEN/ANCHOR: We remind our listeners that young hams who live in the continental United States have an opportunity to make news, if they aren't already doing so, by being a recipient of this year's Amateur Radio Newsline Bill Pasternak Memorial Young Ham of the Year Award. Consider nominating an amateur radio operator 18 years of age or younger -- someone who has talent, promise and a commitment to the spirit of ham radio. Find more details along with application forms on our website arnewsline.org under the "YHOTY" tab. The nomination period closes on May 31st.

FRIDAY EDITION: Time flies when you get old, and then you get older....I have not a clue what they re talking about:Even with quantum teleportation and the existence of entangled quantum states, faster-than-light communication still remains impossible. I hate when I read an article and am left clueless. ...Rolls-Royce Ghost Prototypes Made People Feel Sick .....Watch an undocking from the space station live, should be interesting....

How UAE astronaut Al Neyadi will bring wonder of space to classrooms and communities

Website, 13 live calls, 10 ham radio calls announced for community outreach programme

Dubai: The Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre (MBRSC) in Dubai has revealed how the UAE’s second astronaut Sultan Al Neyadi will bring the wonder of outer space to classrooms and communities in the country during his six-month long, historic ‘longest space expedition by an Arab.’ My question is will he wear a turban under the space helmet?

A new website, 13 live calls and 10 ham radio calls have been announced as part of the community outreach programme of Al Neyadi’s space expedition.

A website titled ELF in Space will be the platform through which he will interact with students.

ELF in Space is a new initiative by the Mohammed Bin Rashid Space Centre in collaboration with the Emirates Literature Foundation (ELF). It will be an interactive programme offering students an up-close look at what it is like to be an astronaut and the skills and knowledge such a role requires.

On the Crystal Edition of the Emirates Literature Festival this year, ELF partnered with MBRSC to launch “ELF in Space”, a family education programme, Isobel Abulhoul, CEO and trustee, Emirates Literature Foundation, had announced on February 1.

Educational content from space will be aired to schools on a weekly basis under the ELF in Space initiative, Salem Humaid Al Marri, director general of MBRSC had then said. “Videos that will be taken from space and then be broadcast, either live or pre-recorded and put on a weekly basis on a website. And that will then go to all schools,” he told Gulf News.

Groundbreaking in space

Over the course of 20 weeks, students will follow Al Neyadi on his groundbreaking space journey aboard the International Space Station (ISS). They will also hear from authors, space experts, and fellow astronauts Hazzaa Al Mansoori and Nora Al Matrooshi as they discuss the various challenges of working in space and the innovations that help overcome them.

MBRSC said episodes will be released weekly, with each episode focusing on a different topic to help students connect the dots between what they learn in class and its impact on their lives and the world around them. Extra activities and resources will also be available for download each week to keep students engaged and propel their own explorations of the subject.

DX news

This week's bulletin was made possible with information provided by The Daily DX, 425 DX News, DXNL, Contest Corral from QST and the ARRL Contest Calendar and WA7BNM web sites. Thanks to all.

MONACO, 3A. Lorenzo, 3A2OG is a new amateur radio operator and has been active while testing various HF antennas. He is interested in using QRP and in portable operations. QSL direct.

GHANA, 9G. Alan, G3XAQ is QRV as 9G5XA until March 14. Activity is on the HF bands using only CW. This includes being an entry in the RSGB Commonwealth Contest. QSL direct to home call.

UNITED ARAB EMIRATES, A6. Special event station A60AP is QRV until August 31 to commemorate the Astronaut Program. Look for special event stations A60AP/0 to A60AP/14 to also be active during the event. QSL via operators' instructions.

CAPE VERDE, D4. Luca, HB9OBD is QRV as D44KIT from Sal Island, IOTA AF-086, until April 5. Activity is holiday style on 40, 20, 15, and 10 meters using SSB and FT8. QSL via EB7DX.

COMOROS, D6. Hiro, JF1OCQ is QRV as D67AA until March 22. Activity is on 160 to 10 meters using CW, FT8, and FT4. QSL direct to home call.

PHILIPPINES, DU. Jacek, SP5APW is QRV as DU1/SP5APW until March 14 from the Luzon Coastal Islands, IOTA OC-244. Activity is on 40 to 10 meters using SSB and FT8. QSL to home call.

CROZET ISLAND, FT/W. Thierry, FT8WW will be QRV from March 13 to 16. Activity will be on the HF bands. QSL via F6EXV.

GUERNSEY, GU. Operators M0UNN and G4DIY are QRV as MP7DX until March 13. Activity is on 40 to 10 meters using CW and SSB. QSL via G4DIY.

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS, HC8. Operators WB2REM, KE2D, VO1IDX, and K4LT are QRV as HD8M from Santa Cruz, IOTA SA-004, until March 11. Activity is on 160 to 6 meters using CW, SSB, FT8, and FT4. QSL direct to WB2REM.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC, HI. Members of the Loma del Toro DX Club will be QRV as HI0LT from Isla Cabras, IOTA NA-122, from March 12 to 19. Activity will be on 160 to 2 meters using CW, SSB, RTTY, FT8, and FT4. QSL via EB7DX.

MINAMI TORISHIMA, JD1. Take, JG8NQJ will be QRV as JG8NQJ/JD1 beginning March 15, and expects to be here for two months while on work assignment. Activity will be in his spare time on the HF bands using mainly CW with some FT8. QSL direct to JA8CJY.

OGASAWARA, JD1. Stations JD1BOI and JD1BON are QRV from Chichijima Island, IOTA AS-031, until March 24. Activity is on 160 to 6 meters using RTTY, FT8, and FT4. QSL via LoTW.

SURINAME, PZ. Harrie, PA3EHS is QRV as PZ5HS from Para until March 25. Activity is on the HF bands using SSB, JT6, and FT8. QSL via PA3EHS.

MALI, TZ. Ulmar, DK1CE is QRV as TZ1CE until March 16. Activity is on the HF bands using SSB and FT8 in DXpedition mode. QSL via DK1CE.

ST. KITTS AND NEVIS, V4. Pete, G0TLE is QRV as V4/G0TLE from St. Kitts, IOTA NA-104, until March 17. Activity is holiday style on 40 to 10 meters using CW and SSB. QSL direct to home call.

TURKS AND CAICOS ISLANDS, VP5. John, N9EAJ is QRV as VP5/N9EAJ from Grand Turk, IOTA NA-003, until March 22. Activity is on the HF bands using mostly SSB with some CW. He will make a side trip to the Columbus Landfall National Park for a Parks on The Air activation. QSL to home call.

INDIA, VU. Special event station AT2G20 is QRV from Gurugram until June 2 to promote greater international cooperation through amateur radio in conjunction with the G20 summit being held in New Delhi on September 9 and 10. QSL via operator's instructions.

THIS WEEKEND ON THE RADIO. The Stew Perry Topband CW Challenge, North American RTTY Sprint, NCCC RTTY Sprint, QRP 80-Meter CW Fox Hunt, NCCC Sprint CW Ladder, K1USN Slow Speed CW Test, YB DX RTTY Contest, SARL Field Day Contest, RSGB Commonwealth Contest, SKCC Weekend CW Sprintathon, EA PSK63 Contest, South America 10 Meter Contest, DIG QSO Party, AGCW QRP CW Contest, Oklahoma QSO Party, TESLA Memorial HF CW Contest, Idaho QSO Party, UBA Spring 2-Meter Contest and the FIRAC HF Contest are all scheduled for this upcoming weekend.

Boeing 747 vs Cessna

THURSDAY EDITION: I started to build a G5RV antenna for the club months ago and today would be a good day to finish it. we have plenty of options for 10-20 antennas but in the tiny lot we own at the club it is hard to get a good hf antenna up for 40-75. A rectangular loop is about the only option fed with ladderline, we shall see....FYI: Congrats to the parents and school systems today, the DOD just reported to congress that 77% of Americans between the ages of 17-24 are unfit for military service. The rise and fall of a once great country. The biggest problem is obesity followed by mental issues, how in hell can you be fat at that age? Imagine telling the DI you needed a timeout for anxiety in boot camp at Paris Island?....Not any ham news to post yet...

In my era it took an act of God to get out of the draft...these fat shits are automatially 4F

Why some US lawmakers want to ban TikTok

Here’s what the newly introduced RESTRICT Act says about technology, China, and more.

Yesterday, lawmakers introduced a new bipartisan Senate bill that would give the US government the power to ban TikTok. The bill is called, clunkily, the Restricting the Emergence of Security Threats that Risk Information and Communications Technology, or RESTRICT Act. It was introduced in part by Sen. Mark Warner of Virginia, who is also the chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, and it would allow the Commerce Department to review deals, software updates, and data transfers from apps and tech companies in which “foreign adversaries,” specifically the governments of China, Cuba, Iran, North Korea, Russia, and Venezuela, have an interest.

It’s the latest—and perhaps the closest to becoming law—in a long line of proposals that look to limit the potential for the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) to exert influence on TikTok, and by extension, its users around the world.

Both the US and European Union governments are considering banning TikTok, limiting how it can handle customer data, and generally just increasing the regulatory burden it’s under compared to, say, Facebook or Instagram. Both entities have gone so far as to ban it on government staff’s work phones over espionage fears. Let’s take a look at why.

Although TikTok has over 100 million active monthly users in the US and at least 10,000 employees across the US and Europe, its parent company, ByteDance, is headquartered in Beijing, China. This has led to some security concerns as well as plenty of bellicose posturing from US lawmakers and China-hawks.

The security concerns come in part because ByteDance has bowed down to the CCP in the past. For example, in 2018, its then-CEO and founder, Zhang Yiming, had to issue a groveling, self-criticizing apology after the CCP compelled it to shut down one of its other apps. He promised to “further deepen cooperation” with the authoritarian government.

I wonder if some of our Chinese junk radios have been setup for snooping?

WEDNESDAY EDITION: Good morning hamsters....what piece of gear should we play with today? I guess thats the biggest problem of the day....So what is it like to work at MFJ manufacturing??? I would prefer to work for Cobra Antenna, short work day and free beer while you work.....Archive editions of 73 magazine to look back and enjoy

Artist's impression of CatSat with its antenna inflated in orbit around Earth. To compensate for any small leaks it may incur from encounters with space debris or micrometeorites, the engineers provided it with enough gas onboard to completely refill the "balloon" 25 times.

Scientists and engineers at the University of Arizona have built instruments for three NASA telescopes, led two deep space missions and made it possible to see farther back in space and time than ever before. Adding to this list of space exploration accomplishments is a different type of project -- one led entirely by students. If everything goes according to plan, the satellite won't just demonstrate new space technology; it will also probe the ionosphere -- a layer of charged particles at the boundary between the Earth's atmosphere and space -- so that the team can better understand the ionosphere's ever-changing structure. This structure impacts the propagation of high-frequency radio signals. On the opposite end of CatSat's inflatable antenna is a "whip" antenna, about 2 feet long and shaped like a protruding stick. It was designed to receive low-power, automated, high-frequency beacons from thousands of Earthbound amateur radio enthusiasts. Radio signals in the high-frequency range can bounce off or refract from the ionosphere and travel to far-reaching locations by "bending around the Earth." Amateur, or ham, radio takes advantage of this charged layer of the atmosphere to broadcast information all around the globe. STORY

1990 ad in 73 magazine

TUESDAY EDITION: I can smell the roses, Spring ahead this weekend....Yes, MFJ is for sale. No family members want to carry on and at 80, Martin wants out. I doubt it will sell for 8 million but I can see individual companies being sold such as Ameritron, Cushcraft, etc.....I can't give financial details but they sure are interesting...NASA can now predict solar cycles...knife wielding bulldog doing his thing....

HONOLULU (KHON2) -- As part of the Amateur Radio on the International Space Program, which promotes STEM opportunities, students from Lana'i High and Elementary School will talk with astronauts on the International Space Station using an Amateur Radio on March 20, at 9:09 a.m. ARISS said that the school's contact with the International Space Station will happen using a Telebridge connection with ham operator Jan Poppeliers ON4ISS in Belgium. The astronaut to be interviewed may be one of the following: Warren Hoburg KB3HTZ, Steve Bowen KI5BKB or Sultan Al Neyadi KI5VTV. ARTICLE

MONDAY EDITION: I dug out an old Kenwood TS-830S and got it cleaned up and brought up slowly with my variac and low and behold it is alive. The power out is a little low but I have a new driver and pair of 6146's for it. Today's plan is to replace and neutralize the finals and see how it goes. These 1980's radios were some of the finest example of Kenwood's transmit and receive audio, I hope to make a few contacts and do some listening. They are hybrid radios, solid state receiver and tube finals......

The radio amateur who miniaturized the 20th century

W9GTY(SK) is an acronym, and this acronym is about our history. Its meaning, most likely, is unknown to you but we will be able to find out shortly. This breaking latest news begins in Kansas, an area where a very young Jack Kilby, the actor of our article, takes his first steps into the world of work. More precisely in his father’s company. A local company whose mission was: maintenance services for other companies.

Jack Kilby and the first integrated circuit Bad weather created damage to the telephone network making it unusable so they had to use amateur radio to keep in touch with their office. This was the circumstance that brought a very young Jack Kilby closer to what will be his two main passions: radio and electronics. Later he studied for his amateur radio license and the Call Sign (identification code) assigned to him was precisely W9GTY.

Jack Kilby and the university Kilby enrolled at the University of Illinois ma he had to interrupt his studies due to the Second World War. He enlisted and under the United States Navy was stationed in India and assigned to the “Transmissions” department with the task of maintenance officer of radio receivers and transmitters.

Jack Kilby’s first work After the war, his first real job was at Centralab, a small electronics company located in Milwaukee, where Jack made some inventions. The more time went by, the more the awareness matured in him that in order to be at the forefront and to emerge in the world of electronics, that is, in the development and improvement of new electronic components, such as the Transistor which had recently been invented, he should have worked in a bigger company. FULL STORY

WEEKEND EDITION; Waking up with no snow at 5AM Saturday morning, that's better than BC losing a football game....Spaceweather.com also reported that the average sunspot number for February was among the highest of the last 10 years. Here is data on Solar Cycle 25 progress: https://www.swpc.noaa.gov/products/solar-cycle-progression .....

Radio interference from satellites is threatening astronomy—zone proposed for testing new technologies

Visible light is just one part of the electromagnetic spectrum that astronomers use to study the universe. The James Webb Space Telescope was built to see infrared light, other space telescopes capture X-ray images, and observatories like the Green Bank Telescope, the Very Large Array, the Atacama Large Millimeter Array and dozens of other observatories around the world work at radio wavelengths.

Radio telescopes are facing a problem. All satellites, whatever their function, use radio waves to transmit information to the surface of the Earth. Just as light pollution can hide a starry night sky, radio transmissions can swamp out the radio waves astronomers use to learn about black holes, newly forming stars and the evolution of galaxies. We are three scientists who work in astronomy and wireless technology. With tens of thousands of satellites expected to go into orbit in the coming years and increasing use on the ground, the radio spectrum is getting crowded. Radio quiet zones—regions, usually located in remote areas, where ground-based radio transmissions are limited or prohibited—have protected radio astronomy in the past. As the problem of radio pollution continues to grow, scientists, engineers and policymakers will need to figure out how everyone can effectively share the limited range of radio frequencies. One solution that we have been working on for the past few years is to create a facility where astronomers and engineers can test new technologies to prevent radio interference from blocking out the night sky. FULL STORY

Amateur Radio Newsline Report

ISLANDS RECEIVE RADIO DONATION FOR EMERGENCY RESPONSE

NEIL/ANCHOR: An Australian company's donation of HF radios and antennas is moving amateurs in St. Vincent and the Grenadines closer to the development of improved islandwide HF emergency response -- an important element in an area often battered by hurricanes. Graham Kemp VK4BB brings us that report.

GRAHAM: When emergency radio equipment from Barrett Communications arrived from Australia on the 14th of February, the director of the Rainbow Radio League/Youlou (YOO LOO) Radio Movement noted that the date was Valentine's Day and declared the delivery [quote] "a gift of love." [endquote] Donald DeRiggs, J88CD, said he was grateful for the donation - the third of its kind provided by Barrett for emergency use in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The equipment is not only a useful way to bolster communications during hurricane season but a way to safeguard areas such as those that were left vulnerable during the eruption of the volcano, La Soufriere in 2021.

The Australian company has taken an active role in helping the island communities. Previous donations by Barrett were used to assist the island of Dominica in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in 2017. Donald said that as soon as this new equipment can be programmed and deployed there will be drills in May or early June to prepare for the coming hurricane season.

The latest shipment was transported to Kingstown from the air cargo facility by Leslie Edwards J88LE. It included HF radios, portable solar panels, spare microphones, a portable antenna mast and broadband dipoles.

This is Graham Kemp VK4BB.

(DONALD DE RIGGS, J88CD)

**
SENSORS ON BOARD ISS TO STUDY IONOSPHERE

NEIL/ANCHOR: The US military is getting ready to do some intense testing on the ionosphere, via the ISS. We have those details from Kent Peterson KCØDGY.

KENT: Two ionospheric sensors will be tested on board the International Space Station this spring in an experiment designed to ultimately improve HF radio communications for the US Department of Defense. The website, Breaking Defense, reported that the sensors are to be sent to the ISS in March. The US military has been revisiting the importance of HF radio as an alternative to satellites, having realized that US satellites could become compromised or destroyed by enemy attack. HF bands are already being used by the three branches of the US military for some long-range communications.

Andrew Nicholas, one of the lead researchers on the sensor project, told the Breaking Defense website that the sensors will be measuring ionospheric particle density and its impact on the radio waves passing through it.

He said the data from the tests will help in the development of better ionspheric monitoring models. Eventually the military might even consider creating satellites that would constantly monitor such important ionospheric changes to assist in the performance of HF communication.

This is Kent Peterson KCØDGY.

(BREAKING DEFENSE.COM)

**
VOLUNTEERS NEEDED FOR HAMSCI STUDY OF SOLAR ECLIPSES

NEIL/ANCHOR: As any ham knows, signal reports matter. Well, they're about to matter even more for those radio enthusiasts who are participating in a citizen science project taking place during two solar eclipses, this year and next year. For that story, we turn to our newest correspondent Patrick Clark, K8TAC, who was also Newsline's Young Ham of the Year in 2001.

PATRICK: There will be a little bit of competition and a whole lot of research going on later this year for participants in a QSO party organized by Ham Radio Science Citizen Investigation, or HamSci. Volunteer radio operators and shortwave listeners will join researchers at a number of US universities sending, receiving and recording signals during the October 14th solar eclipse. The data will be collected and used for testing computer models of the ionosphere to assess its variability. This is the first of two eclipses over North America that HamSci will be studying. The second one is on April 8, 2024.

Both Solar Eclipse QSO Parties encourage the use of CW, SSB and digital modes on 160-6 meters. At the same time, hams who operate CW and digital beacons, WSPR and FST4W, will be able to take part in the Gladstone Signal Spotting Challenge.

Registration starts in July. Organizers stress the importance of this opportunity. As they say on the project's website [quote]: "If we miss the chance to collect meaningful data in 2023 and 2024, it will be decades before North American hams and researchers get another opportunity." [endquote] For details, visit hamsci dot org [hamsci.org]

This is Patrick Clark K8TAC.

(HAMSCI)

**
SILENT KEY: FORMER FCC CHIEF ENGINEER RAY SPENCE, W4QAW

NEIL/ANCHOR: A noted contester and DXer who had once been the chief engineer for the Federal Communications Commission has become a Silent Key. We learn more about him from Jim Damron N8TMW.

JIM: Raymond Spence, W4QAW, was so devoted to contesting and DXing that a 1984 newspaper interview with him described the traffic-stopping view his collection of towers provided to motorists who would see them from a nearby highway. The Washington Post article noted that much of the six and a half acres of Raymond's property in Virginia served him well. Raymond, who was retired from the post as chief engineer for the FCC in nearby Washington, DC, became a Silent Key on February 18th, due to heart failure.

Born in 1929, he was an active ham for much of his life. His basement radio room served as his main contest station and he was a top performer in many major contests. He is listed on the DXCC Honor Roll and was a member of the National Capitol DX Association and the Potomac Valley Radio Club.

This is Jim Damron N8TMW.

(WASHINGTON POST, DX NEWS.COM, QRZ.COM)

**
HAMVENTION AWARD WINNERS ANNOUNCED

NEIL/ANCHOR: If you want to know who's REALLY looking forward to Hamvention this year, consider this list of amateurs who'll be coming to Dayton to receive some awards. Paul Braun WD9GCO has the details.

PAUL: Hamvention has announced this year's award recipients. I spoke with awards committee chair Michael Kalter, W8CI, about them.

KALTER: First is the special achievement winner, Dr. Jason McDonald, N2TPA. He’s just been instrumental in promoting international friendship and community through amateur radio by forming scouting clubs in Canada, Philippines, and Florida. Right now there are more than 500 youth in these clubs that have been licensed and are on the air.

KALTER: This year’s Technical Achievement Award goes to Dr. James Breakall, WA3FET, and his work’s been so instrumental in amateur radio antenna technology development for decades. He’s teamed with experts in the field to develop state-of-the-art advancements with a wide range of applications including the Numeric Electromagnetic Code, NEC.

KALTER: Amateur of the Year goes to Carsten Dauer, DM9EE. He’s been active in European amateur radio through WRTC and YOTA for 30 years. But more recently, he has spearheaded a group called DM9EE-Helping Hands, a movement to provide amateur radio equipment to war-torn Ukraine by collecting donations and delivering them personally to communities in Ukraine.

PAUL: Amateur Radio Club of the Year goes to The Delaware Valley Radio Association, formed in 1930 to serve the Trenton, New Jersey metropolitan area.

To read more, visit Hamvention’s website, hamvention.org. Congratulations to the winners from all of us at Amateur Radio Newsline.

**

MAJOR INDIAN BROADCASTER HONORS WEST BENGAL HAM

NEIL/ANCHOR: Congratulations to Ambarish Nag Biswas VU2JFA, secretary of the West Bengal Radio Club in India, who were Newsline's International Newsmaker of the Year for 2019 and 2022. At a recent ceremony in Kolkata, he was given the Ananya Samman award from Zee News, a Hindi broadcast channel that is part of one of India's largest media companies. He told Newsline this was a special honor for him as the first amateur radio recipient. The award is in recognition of the club's life-saving work during cyclones, the pandemic and in other areas of public concern. Newsline joins him in celebrating this achievement.

(YOUTUBE)

**

IN SEARCH OF 'YOUNG HAM OF THE YEAR'

NEIL/ANCHOR: We remind our listeners that young hams who live in the continental United States have an opportunity to make news, if they aren't already doing so, by being a recipient of this year's Amateur Radio Newsline Bill Pasternak Memorial Young Ham of the Year Award. Consider nominating an amateur radio operator 18 years of age or younger -- someone who has talent, promise and a commitment to the spirit of ham radio. Find application forms on our website arnewsline.org under the "YHOTY" tab. Nominations are now open and close on May 31st.

**

BREAK HERE: Time for you to identify your station. We are the Amateur Radio Newsline, heard on bulletin stations around the world including the WA7ABU repeater in Willamette Valley Oregon on Saturdays at 6 p.m. local time.

**
FIRST-TIME PARTNERSHIP FOR WORLD AMATEUR RADIO DAY

NEIL/ANCHOR: The theme of World Amateur Radio Day this year is a recognition of the vital role ham radio has played in a number of world crises. John Williams VK4JJW tells us what's planned.

JOHN: In an unprecedented partnership, the International Amateur Radio Union is being joined by the United Nations Trust Fund for Human Security and the World Academy of Art and Science to mark World Amateur Radio Day on the 18th of April. The organisations have declared the theme of the day to be Human Security for All, or HS4A.

The theme arises out of the partners' shared belief that hams have a unique means to fulfill the United Nations' mission of providing human security for individuals around the world. The campaign the partnering groups have launched together honours ham radio's proven track record in responding to natural disasters, the pandemic, climate change and even armed conflicts - the many things that undermine individual security without regard to national boundaries. This important concept was declared a priority by the United Nations in 1994.

Ham radio gains its advantage as a responder by providing technical knowledge, practical skills and backup systems that provide a security net in times of crisis.

The IARU, which has membership societies in more than 150 nations around the world, made the announcement on its webpage for Region 1. A two-week event will be held on the air from April 11th through to the 25th highlighting the HS4A campaign for World Amateur Radio Day.

This is John Williams VK4JJW.

(IARU REGION 1)

**
PARKS ON THE AIR INTRODUCES 48-HOUR CONTEST

NEIL/ANCHOR: Operating portable in the park just gained a little more of a competitive edge. Dave Parks WB8ODF explains.

DAVE: A new activity being introduced this June by the Parks on the Air organizers is going to be different from the casual portable outdoor operating experience activators and hunters enjoy. This is a contest. For 48 hours, hams will collect contacts and points as part of the new Parks on the Air Plaque Event, which is intended to become an annual competition. In a YouTube interview with Kevin Thomas W1DED, POTA president Jason Johnston, W3AAX, explained the different categories available to both hunters and activators and explained that anyone who made their first POTA contact after June 2, 2022, is eligible for the additional category of rookie. Participants must be registered with POTA and can use CW, SSB and the digital modes. Hams will not be permitted to use the WARC bands.

As for multipliers, there are none. This keeps the playing field level so that everything - even multiple reference areas - will be worth a single point.

This is Dave Parks WB8ODF.

NEIL/ANCHOR: The contest will be held on HF, VHF, UHF and SHF. For a look at the rules and other details for the event, see the link in the text version of this week's Newsline report at arnewsline.org

[FOR PRINT ONLY: https://docs.pota.app/docs/award_events/plaque_event/plaque_event.html ]

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LONGTIME 40M NET IN INDIA AVAILABLE AS LIVE STREAM

NEIL/ANCHOR: One of the oldest nets held among radio amateurs in India has begun a live stream. Jim Meachen ZL2BHF has those details.

JIM: The origins of the Belgaum Hambel Net predate the internet by several decades, when a group of young shortwave enthusiasts in the city of Belgaum would get together to study for their ASOC examination in the physics lab of a local college where Pal, VU2PAL, was a professor. By 1973, the group - now licensed hams - had grown. In 1973 they formed the Hambel Amateur Radio Club. By 1988, the hams had agreed to have regularly scheduled QSOs with one another on 7.052.5 MHz - and little by little the on-air circle of friends grew to include those living outside the immediate area. The net was formally launched by Professor Pal in November 1989. He moved it to 7.050 MHz and gave it a name - the Hambel Belgaum Net. He was also its first and most active net control. According to the club's website, by the time he became a Silent Key in 2016, he had logged tens of thousands of QSOs via the net alone.

The group's well-established 40-metre net tradition continues today from 7 a.m. to 8:45 a.m. Indian Standard Time, but the world has recently begun listening in. The net now uses YouTube to livestream its check-ins, with net controllers Bebu, VU2PNU, Omprakash, VU2KOC, Joshi, VU2BRJ, and Yaseen, VU3PMY.

You can listen too. See the link to one of the more recent nets in the text version of this week's script at arnewsline.org

This is Jim Meachen ZL2BHF.

[FOR PRINT, DO NOT READ: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TRw9qluW9WY ]

(HAMBEL NET WEBSITE, YOUTUBE)

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WORLD OF DX

In the World of DX, Phil, VA3QR, is operating from Panama throughout March, using various call signs depending upon his location. Those call signs include HP1/VA3QR, HP3/VA3QR and HP8/VA3QR. He will be using SSB and the digital modes. QSL to his home call.

Listen for Matt, ZL4NVW, who will be activating several SOTA summits on Secretary Island off the Fiordland coast from the 7th
to the 13th of March. He will be on 40m through 10m, SSB only. Secretary Island uses the IOTA designation OC-203 for the South Coastal Islands of New Zealand. QSL to his home call.

Listen for Robert, OK2PYA, operating as EA6/OK2PYA from various World Wide Flora & Fauna areas on Mallorca in the Balearic Islands, IOTA EU-004 until the 7th of March. He is using CW on 40-10 metres. QSL via Club Log's OQRS and LoTW.

(425 DX BULLETIN, DX-WORLD.NET)

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KICKER: THE HEIGHT OF GRATITUDE FOR A SUMMIT RESCUE

NEIL/ANCHOR: For our final story, we visit with a SOTA activator who is recovering from serious injuries after a fall on a summit. While he is healing, he plans to active a campaign of gratitude for his rescuers. Here's Jeremy Boot G4NJH with that story.

JEREMY: It was just a few weeks ago that Alan 2EØJWA had hopes of scoring 4 points plus a 3-point winter bonus for activating the largest summit in his immediate area, G/SP-001 Kinder Scout in the Peak District National Park.

His goal on that day in January came crashing down with him when he fell on a piece of black ice on the well-marked summit path, shattering his left leg. He expects that after two surgeries, he will be back on his feet by mid-May - perhaps even back on the air for a summit by summer.

As he tells colleagues on the SOTA Reflector, however, he might not be making those plans at all were it not for the kind souls who first rushed to his aid on the trail to stabilise him -- and then for the welcome arrival of the volunteer team he describes in his blog as "angels in red coats," the Glossop Mountain Rescue Team. It was a complicated rescue but they moved him safely off the hill just as snow showers were threatening to arrive.

Alan is now asking others on the SOTA Reflector and the ham community to help inspire some kind of special event or thank-you gesture for helping to keep this SOTA activator alive. To Alan, the winter bonus for that summit truly belongs to the angels in red coats.

HAMS YOU MIGHT KNOW

K1TP- Jon....Editor of As The World Turns.... KA1BXB-Don...Regular on 3900 mornings....just don't mention politics to him, please!
WB1ABC- Ari..Bought an amp and now we can here him on 75 meters, worships his wife, obsessed with Id'ing
N1BOW-Phil...Retired broadcast engineer, confused and gullible, cheap, only uses singl ply toilet paper
KB1OWO- Larry...Handsome Fellow ,only cuts lawn in August, plows snow the rest in Jackman, Maine
W1GEK- Big Mike....Nearfest Cook, big motor home, electronics software engineer ...
AA1SB- Neil...Living large traveling the country with his girlfriend...loves CW
N1YX- Igor....peddles quality Russian keys, software engineer
K1BGH...Art.....Restores cars and radio gear, nice fella...
N1XW.....Mike-easy going, Harley riding kind of guy!
K1JEK-Joe...Easy going, can be found at most ham flea market ...Cobra Antenna builder..
KA1GJU- Kriss- Tower climbing pilot who cooks on the side at Hosstrader's...
W1GWU-Bob....one of the Hosstrader's original organizers, 75 meter regular, Tech Wizard!!!
K1PV- Roger....75 meter regular, easy going guy...
W1XER...Scott....easy going guy, loves to split cordwood and hunt...
KB1VX- Barry- the picture says it all, he loves food!
KC1BBU- Bob....the Mud Duck from the Cape Cod Canal, making a lot of noise.
W1STS- Scott...philosopher, hat connoisseur,
KB1JXU- Matthew...75 meter regular...our token liberal Democrat out of Florida
K1PEK-Steve..Founder of Davis-RF....my best friend from high school
K9AEN-John...Easy going ham found at all the ham fests
K1BQT.....Rick....very talented ham, loves his politics, has designed gear for MFJ...
W1KQ- Jim- Retired Air Force Controller...told quite a few pilots where to go!
N1OOL-Jeff- The 3936 master plumber and ragchewer...
K1BRS-Bruce- Computer Tech of 3936...multi talented kidney stone passing ham...
K1BGH- Arthur, Cape Cod, construction company/ice cream shop, hard working man....
W1VAK- Ed, Cape Cod, lots of experience in all areas, once was a Jacques Cousteus body guard....
K1BNH- Bill- Used to work for a bottled gas company-we think he has been around nitrous oxide to long
W1HHO- Cal...3941 group
K1MPM- Pete...3941 group
WA1JFX- Russell...3941 group .

SILENT KEYS

Silent Key N1IOM- 3910 colorful regular
Silent Key WS1D- Warren- "Windy" - Bullnet
Silent Key KMIG-Rick....75 Meter Regular....teaches the future of mankind, it's scary!
Silent Key Neil -K1YPM .....a true gentleman
Silent Key K1BXI- John.........Dr. Linux....fine amateur radio op ....wealth of experience...
Silent KeyVA2GJB- Graham...one of the good 14313 guys back in the day.
Silent Key K1BHV- David...PITA
Silent Key W1JSH- Mort...Air Force man
Silent Key K1MAN--Glen....PITA
Silent KeyKB1CJG-"Cobby"- Low key gent can be found on many of the 75 meter nets.........
Silent KeyWB1AAZ- Mike, Antrim, NH, auto parts truck driver-retired
Silent KeyWB1DVD- Gil....Gilly..Gilmore.....easy going, computer parts selling, New England Ham..
Silent Key W1OKQ- Jack....3936 Wheeling and Dealing......keeping the boys on there toes....
Silent Key W1TCS- Terry....75 meter regular, wealth of electronic knowledge...
Silent Key WIPNR- Mack....DXCC Master, worked them all!.. 3864 regular for many years...
Silent Key WILIM- Hu....SK at 92... 3864 regular for many years...
Silent Key N1SIE- Dave....Loves to fly
Silent Key:N1WBD- Big Bob- Tallest ham, at 6'10", of the 3864 group
Silent Key: W1FSK-Steve....Navy Pilot, HRO Salesman, has owned every radio ever built!
Silent Key: W4NTI-Vietnam Dan....far from easy going cw and ssb op on 14275/313
Silent Key:K1FUB-Bill- Loved ham radio....